What is SEO: A Look Behind The Scenes
Again and again one hears the term search engine optimization or SEO on websites and in social networks. But what exactly does it mean? Why is it so important for my company, or even for me as a private person to focus on optimizing my website for search engines?
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization is a rather complex topic, which requires many hours of training and constant learning. A lot of commitment is required here — because Google changes its algorithms regularly. SEO deals, in particular, with the question of how a website can be optimized so that it can be found in search engines such as Google or Bing, and accordingly receives website visitors.
What you need to know about SEO
Just like search engine advertising (SEA), search engine optimization (SEO) is a component of search engine marketing (SEM), which is also known as keyword advertising in some places. Search engine optimization deals with organic search results, while search engine advertising includes paid text ads.
What can be achieved with SEO?
With SEO, search engines can be used to generate more reach, more interaction and thus in the long run more customers and transactions.
Search engines like Google and Bing are used daily to find information. Therefore, many companies are interested in appearing in the relevant search results and thus being made relevant to a prospect. A potential customer who is then interested in further information can be converted on the website — into a lead or direct sales.
By implementing SEO measures, a company can position itself in the relevant target group, can trigger interactions, which will ultimately lead to increased sales. Because SEO is very sustainable and can be easily adapted to the size of the company and its strategy, this discipline is particularly interesting for young companies that want to establish themselves in the market — but also companies that are always dependent on new customers.
What areas of SEO are there?
In search engine optimization, a rough distinction is made between on-page and off-page optimization. On-page optimization can include the conception, creation and maintenance of your own website. Here there are a multitude of aspects to consider such as URL structure, mobile suitability of the website, title and page descriptions in the meta information, keyword research and selection, marking of headings etc.
Off-page optimization again includes all external measures that influence the ranking. This includes the number and quality of incoming links, but also the mentions in social media. The higher the quality, i.e. the more relevant the inbound links are classified, the better for the website. It is also an advantage to link internally within your own website, for instance between different sub-pages.
In turn, search engine marketing includes measures that ensure better positioning and visibility in search results. This does not necessarily have to be just unpaid results, which is otherwise a goal of search engine optimization. The purchase of advertising space must be approached strategically, as these spaces are auctioned off to the highest bidder. This area is otherwise known as SEA (“Search Engine Advertising”).
For whom is SEO worthwhile?
SEO marketing is useful for all companies whose core target group uses search engines as part of the customer journey for information or purchase. And as we find ourselves in a technology driven era, SEO is therefore certainly relevant for almost any company that wants to be seen and expand their reach.
For most companies, their own website is a kind of business card on which the interested party should find all important information. For this website to rank well with Google and other search engines, it must not only be reader-friendly and offer added value, but also work with different keywords and keyword combinations.
